As the school year begins, all Bess wants is to be elected class president. She has some awesome ideas that will help make Nettles Middle School a great place.
Bess is successful, plus her friend June is elected vice-president. The first change they make is to get a book vending machine. With the help of the PTO, they get the machine and books to stock it. Everyone seems excited until just weeks later someone complains about some of the books, and they are removed. Bess can't believe someone would think books are inappropriate. They had selected the books with the help of the school librarian. These were books she thought kids should get a chance to read.
When Bess discovers the person who complained is June's mother, she confronts her friend who refuses to make any excuses for her mother. Now the fight is on to get these books back into the vending machine and into the hands of kids who need them. Bess can't believe someone she thought she knew and cared for could be so different.
Author Elly Swartz tackles the topic of book bans in SAME PAGE. This relevant topic provides a platform for younger readers to learn about the challenges and how to take a stand to protect their rights. Just as Bess learns, it isn't easy when disagreements happen that pit one friend against another.
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